Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu watched one of his closest European allies take a sharp political blow on Sunday: Viktor Orbán was soundly defeated in Hungary’s election.
For Netanyahu—Israel’s longest-serving prime minister—the result lands as more than just a foreign story. Coming in an election year, it threatens to undercut the confidence of his camp and strengthen Israel’s opposition, who view the upcoming vote in October as a decisive moment for the country’s direction.
Just like US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu did not hide his support. He openly endorsed Orbán, even recording a personal video message for him at CPAC. “Viktor Orbán means safety, security, stability,” Netanyahu said in the pre-recorded statement. His son, Yair Netanyahu, has cultivated ties with Orbán’s Fidesz party and attended the event in person, calling Budapest “almost a second home.”
Netanyahu has also praised Orbán’s claims of taking action against antisemitism—despite serious accusations from critics, including allegations that Orbán has rewritten Hungary’s Holocaust history, and promoted negative portrayals of prominent figures such as George Soros and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
On Monday, Netanyahu posted on social media calling Orbán a “true friend of Israel” who stood by Israel “in the face of unjust international vilification.” He then congratulated Peter Magyar on his election victory.
Israeli media also reported that John McLaughlin—Netanyahu’s American pollster and a Trump-associated adviser—helped advise Orbán’s campaign. The political relationship between Netanyahu and Orbán goes beyond shared right-wing messaging. Over the past 15 years, it has deepened into a practical alliance: after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu over the Gaza war, Budapest announced it was withdrawing from the ICC, effectively making Hungary one of the few places Netanyahu could travel without the risk of arrest.
Orbán has also repeatedly blocked the European Union from issuing condemnation or punitive measures against Israel. Those actions often require unanimity, and critics say Orbán has not hesitated to use his leverage to stop them.
In Israel, Orbán’s defeat is being received by Netanyahu’s opponents as a “message of hope.” Efrat Rayten, a lawmaker from the left-wing Democrat party, told CNN the outcome shows that entrenched systems are not untouchable. “The idea that a leader who controls the institutions and the media is immune to defeat has been shattered,” Rayten said. “The lesson for Israel is unity, perseverance, and faith in civil society.”
Opposition leaders have long pointed to Orbán’s Hungary as a warning of what they argue Netanyahu is pursuing at home—weakening checks and balances and eroding the independence of the judiciary and the media.
The slogan “Israel will not become Hungary” became one of the central themes of the mass protest movement against Netanyahu’s government beginning in 2023, centered on judicial overhaul and rapid legislative changes. Even while Orbán never formally labeled Hungary a “non-liberal democracy,” a March 2026 report by the left-leaning Zulat think tank described Israel as moving toward a “partially authoritarian” system—arguing that Netanyahu’s actions, even if not his rhetoric, are pushing the country in a similar direction.
Still, Orbán’s loss does not automatically translate into victory for Israel’s opposition. Rayten emphasized that change cannot be achieved only inside parliamentary chambers—it must be sustained publicly. “Change does not happen only in the corridors of Parliament. It begins in the streets, with people who refuse to give up.”
But she also warned that Israel’s critics may be missing a crucial ingredient: unity between opposition parties. While Orbán’s defeat offers encouragement, whether that optimism will hold—especially ahead of Netanyahu’s October vote—remains to be seen.
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